Objectives

i) Description of biological differences between healthy and pathological bones

ii) to generate a dataset investigating to what extent drug treatment for various diseases affects bone cells

iii) to compare of various customized scaffold micro-architectures on their osteogenic potential (cell attachment, viability, osteoconductivity)

iv) to assess the osteogenic potential of the most promising 3D printed scaffolds architectures and to characterize their interaction and interface with cells in an ex vivo bone defect model

Topic in Brief

Ultimately, bone cells are responsible for any changes in the existing bone microstructure: bone remodeling and adaptation, but also regeneration after fracture. In this project, a more detailed understanding of the cellular differences between healthy and pathological (osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, Covid-19) bone samples will be generated on a cellular level by detailed immunohistochemical and histological techniques.

Enrolment &

Planned Secondments

Enrolment: TUE

Secondments:

1) EMPA, Prof. J. Schwiedrzik: to develop a framework on how the presence and distribution of bone cells obtained from 2D images can be linked to measured mechanical properties.

2) TUD, Prof. A. Zadpoor+Prof. Fratila: to get acquainted with production and properties of 3D printed scaffolds and to develop a suitable scenario for the ex vivo implantation into the defect model.

Expected Results

i) a better understanding on whether and how pathologies (osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and Covid-10) affect bone cells and their biological function;

ii) generation of a dataset on drug effects on bone cells for a mechanistic understanding on how drug therapies may affect bone cells and bone microstructure;

iii) evaluation in vitro of cytocompatibility (cell attachment, osteoconductivity) of the new developed scaffolds (WP4);

iv) assessment of scaffold performance after artificial implantation with a focus on osteointegration;

v) monitoring of the newly formed bone tissue will with micro-CT [1], as a part of DC4 4th PhD year. This part of the project will provide essential feedback to DC10/DC11 on the biological performance of their scaffolds and enable them to generate a new optimal design of scaffold.

[1] Cramer, E.E.A., Ito, K. & Hofmann, S. Ex vivo Bone Models and Their Potential in Preclinical Evaluation. Curr Osteoporos Rep 19, 75–87 (2021).